Hey, Scotty,

This is a really amazing and very distinctive version, with a perfect mix, that I can easily imagine hearing on a Country crossover or even a Contemporary Pop radio station as the holidays approach!

Fantastic performances on all of the instruments, as always, and I've got to agree with Reece, about the violin part really shining.

Excellent work!
Bob

Love the tones of the guitars. Your talent really shines in this piece as does the mix. KUDOS!

Kev

You know.........I would give anything in the world just to be able to play guitar decently.......let alone all the instruments you do........and do it so well..............Jeeeezzzzzz..............

Therre are a lot of very talented people on this board and you  are at the very top of the list.........

nice job////

Clliff

thanks for your share

I found it! It's at the top of the post/thread.

Merry Christmas Scotty.

another good one Scotty... great work...

Scottytunes


Hi Danny,
You've got great ears, my friend!

This is an old mix, back in the days where I was just a green pea at mixing. I'm sure I would have done it differently if I knew what I do now. 

Did you notice that I left out an entire section of the song? I listen to this tune played back and just shake my head. What a duh moment that was 

LOL I did notice that...but figured you left it out by choice. You know how it goes...we sometimes do our own spin on something and either forget a part by accident...or we just do what we feel is best. Kinda like how Van Halen covered "Pretty Woman"...they left that whole middle section out...which I never liked in Roy's version. So I thought maybe you took that approach. :) At any rate...older mix considered....this is still a beautiful job. I can't believe some of the talent in this forum. It's such a great feeling to experience all this passion from everyone with all the different styles.
 
Question for you if I may? As you know, I too play quite a few different instruments on this end. I had the priviledge to try my hand at violin for the first time about a week ago. I had never tried one believe it or not. I'm thinking "I'm a guitar player...this shouldn't be too hard". Scotty...I usually pick up any instrument and at least get a decent sound out of it even if I don't know what I'm doing. But man...the sound that came out of me was absolutely horrible even with decent fingering. How the heck do ya work that bow like that?! I was really frustrated at myself....kinda angry too...like I felt like going out and buying a fiddle just so I could figure out what I was doing wrong. I've never struggled on an instrument so bad in my life. It was putrid. The harder I tried, the worse it sounded. I've done really well on some of the instruments many would consider prettu challenging. Flute, sax, trumpet, drums...to name a few...but this fiddle business...by far the most difficult instrument I have ever attempted to play.
 
How long does it normally take before you can play notes that don't sound slightly out of key due to there being no frets? And...how long does it normally take to get a handle on the whole bow technique? I messed with this fiddle for nearly 2 hours and wasn't any further in two hours than I was when I first touched it. LOL! I got some of my fingerings on the left hand a bit more accurate...but that bow thing...man, it was just unbelieavably hard! This definitely takes the cake as the hardest instrument to play...hands down...without a doubt. I got a pretty decent left hand for guitar....it means absolutely nothing in the fiddle game...at least from a beginner stand-point. Maybe if I played for 6 months or something....the left hand that I have would assist a bit more...but I'm blown away at how hard and frustrating this was. God bless you for all that you've sacrificed to get this good on such a difficult instrument. Having tried it and failed like I have....gives me an entirely different perspective and appreciation for anyone playing fiddle, that's for sure.
 
-Danny

Cool tune and a nice rendition too. 


I was waiting for either Buffer or Porky to vocalize at any minute..... alas...perhaps next year.... 

It's the conacopia of Christmas songs!  Fun, light-hearted snappy too!  Great job.

Rimshot

Scottytunes


Danny,
Thank you for letting me off the hook there. I seem to remember Van Halen putting the middle part in Pretty Woman. Maybe you heard a live version? Hmmm...nonetheless, thanks. I certainly didn't leave out that part by design.

You have one up on me...I can't play a wind or reed instrument without passing out from a lack of oxygen. LOL.

Like Robby Robbins has been saying for a long time, it takes a special knack to play a fiddle well and he has the same respect and appreciation for it as you do. The length of time it takes for one to be able to draw a clean and true tone out of a fiddle depends on the person. I was doing it within a day or two, but I know many who have been trying for 50 to 70 years and still don't sound worth a crap. It takes a lot of patience, and as long as you have a good ear for intonation, playing in tune isn't so hard either...it just takes time to get your fingers to go in the exact right spot automatically. It could take weeks, moths or even years, but if it is something you want to do, then don't give up on it until you've tried for a half hour per day for a full year without results. As for the bowing, (no joke) it's all in the wrist. Use wrist movements more than arm/shoulder movements and you'll attain more bow control resulting in a smoother tone.  Holding the bow correctly is half the battle. It is uncomfortable for beginners, but feels natural after a while. The following link can get you started with this: [link=http://www.singingwood.com/violin-bow-hold/HowToHoldTheViolinBow.html]http://www.singingwood.co...oHoldTheViolinBow.html[/link]

Good luck and let me know if I can be of further assistance in the fiddle department!

Scotty, thanks so much for the in depth response and for pointing me in the right direction. I think I may buy a fiddle just to see if I can figure it out. I like a nice little challenge...ok this was more than a little challenge...it was a frustrating challenge that I couldn't get enough of! Hahahaha!
 
LOL @ letting you off the hook...trust me brother, my respect for you is of the highest degree. I only say things because I care...never to upset you. Sometimes I say too much...but when I'm too passive, it makes me feel I may have done an injustice. I'd never comment for the sake of a voice. Though we all may have subjective opinions on mixes and instrumentation as this is just the way this field is...your playing, writing and execution will never be questioned and I'll always be a fan of yours. From the heart man. :) Thanks again.
 
-Danny

Slide a beer down this way!

I feel like I'm in a saloon. I love it!

Very cool! Well done Scotty!

It's also going to be a 'blur' Christmas like they all are Scotty!! This was full of tasty playing and I just realised when this was first posted.... there's the 'blur' factor again!

Larry,
Thanks for listening and for your kind words! You kind of lost me with the blur stuff, but I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Mark,
Thank you very much! The "steel" is actually a Les Paul.

LOL....Thanks again and again, Mark!